Supreme Court Miniseries: Religious Accommodation at Work
Employment Law Now VII-133 - Hot Summer Employment Law Developments
#WorkforceWednesday: SCOTUS Introduces Heightened Standard for Religious Accommodation, Rules Against Affirmative Action, Protects “Expressive” Services - Employment Law This Week®
#WorkforceWednesday: The Biden EEOC, New Religious Guidance, and Diversity Training Ban Repealed - Employment Law This Week
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Accommodation under human rights law is a fundamental responsibility for Canadian employers. As the types of requests continue to evolve, it is important to understand both the legal requirements and the practical steps...more
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 Groff decision eliminated the de minimus test for religious accommodation requests under Title VII, and replaced it with one that requires employers to grant the requests absent undue hardship. ...more
In a recent federal court case, McCormick v. Chicago Transit Authority, a former transit employee won a jury trial and $300,000 in damages (the maximum award permitted for the claims at issue) when he successfully argued that...more
With 53% of Gen Z self-identifying as neurodivergent, today’s employers must adapt to a changing workforce and understand the legal protections afforded to individuals with disabilities. Creating inclusive workplaces isn’t...more
On September 15, 2025, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) entered into a settlement with P. F. Chang’s following a former job applicant’s claim that he was not hired due to a religious accommodation...more
Following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Groff v. DeJoy, before denying a religious accommodation under Title VII based on the undue hardship it creates, employers must demonstrate that the burden is “substantial in...more
The deployment of National Guard and other military personnel is at its highest rate in almost 20 years, and there’s a likely chance that one or more of your employees will miss time from work because of military service in...more
Particularly since pandemic-era vaccination requirements, American employers have faced increasing enforcement actions and litigation regarding religious accommodation requests. Additionally, in 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court...more
Two years ago, the long dormant duty to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs and practices was awakened by the U.S. Supreme Court in Groff v. Dejoy. Gone were the days when an employer could justify the denial of a...more
Regulators and courts in both the U.S. and UK have been seeking to navigate the complex balance between employees’ rights to religious expression and employers’ interests. In particular, recent developments—namely, two U.S....more
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has recently issued significant decisions against two federal employers for failing to provide reasonable religious accommodations to their employees. These decisions...more
Since vaccines became available in response to COVID-19, courts have dealt with an onslaught of litigation involving religious accommodation in the workplace. Most recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit...more
Many different federal and state laws require employers to provide “reasonable” accommodations. These laws include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and Title VII of the...more
Divine intervention? John Kluge, a high school orchestra teacher in the Indianapolis area, was let go in 2018 after he refused to address transgender students by their preferred names and pronouns. Mr. Kluge, a Christian...more
On July 28, 2025, the United States Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”) issued a memorandum endorsing federal employees expressing their religious beliefs in the workplace. Specifically, OPM Director Scott Kupor instructed...more
Six months into the new Trump administration, it is clear that the EEOC is concentrating its efforts on religious discrimination in the workplace. Since President Trump’s inauguration, 25% of the new lawsuits or enforcement...more
Granting a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not render that accommodation sacrosanct. A case recently decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit illustrates two...more
Most multifamily owners and managers are aware that discrimination against disabled tenants can result in litigation and increase the project’s operating expenses. However, the Fair Housing Act (FHA) not only prohibits...more
Take note, employers: if your decision to accommodate a qualified employee with a disability is solely based on necessity, you may be inviting unnecessary legal exposure. ...more
If you have a grooming policy based on safety factors (like no beards for firefighters), does that trump an employee’s request for a religious accommodation? Maybe not. A recent Third Circuit decision, Smith v. City of...more
The COVID-19 pandemic brought workplace vaccination policies to the forefront, raising complex questions about religious accommodations. Over four years after the initial rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, these policies remain...more
A Maryland employer recently found itself in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) doghouse when it allegedly summarily rejected an employee’s accommodation request to have his service animal come to work with...more
As modern workplaces grow increasingly diverse, employers must be prepared to accommodate employees’ religious practices and observations in a respectful, inclusive, and lawful manner. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of...more
A federal judge in Louisiana ruled yesterday that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) overstepped its authority by requiring employers to accommodate elective abortions that are not medically necessary....more
May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a timely reminder for employers to reflect on how mental health intersects with workplace obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many employers across the country...more